BHUTAN
- – PLACE OF FUN AND GLAMOUR
Dubai, a glamorous destination is located on the south east coast of the Persian Gulf. This capital of the Emirate of Dubai is all about life, energy and optimism. It stands tall as the global city and is the business hub for the Middle East. This is a place to be for fun livers ad foodies. You can get lost in the streets as well shopping away like crazy because they have got some amazing stuffs here that will steal your heart and will not let you get that good night sleep without having it with you. Their western style of conducting business led to boost in the economy especially from tourism, aviation, real estate, and financial services. It was honored with the name of the best Muslim destination recently by Salam Standards. Dubai is still growing and making progress on after the other, its recent one being the large construction projects and sports events attracting the attraction of the world. The city literally comes to life when the sun goes down. Parties in beaches, cocktail caverns, fancy hotels, open concert under the stars, community theaters.This awesome destination holds the tallest of buildings on its lands. The tallest building of the world, the Burj Khalifa is also majestically standing here. Dubai may be only for the filthy wealthy but it sure is quite a place to live.
History
Very little is known about the early history of Dubai, still there is a belief that the city was inhabited back in 3000 BC. And the first settlers were believed to be the nomadic cattle herders. The city remained under the control of the Sassanid Empire till 7th century. The city sustained life for thousands of years merely by fishing and pearl diving. In 1833 the Al-Maktoum dynasty of the Bani Yas clan took the city over peacefully and Dubai became a separate Sheikhdom. In 1926 The artificial pearls were invented and 1929 Great Depression caused the international pearl market to crash. Sheikh Saeed then searched for an alternative source of income. In 1966, oil was discovered in Dubai. This changed the country’s fate beyond recognition and Dubai’s economy skyrocketed with the flow of oil revenue. The financial crisis of 2007–08 caused a major deterioration in Dubai's property market in 2008–09 but the economy sure made a came back and it came back with a boom.
Culture & Tradition
With the increase in globalization and many outsiders coming in and settling has made Dubai the mixing point of different tradition and culture. This has resulted in the city having a cosmopolitan culture. Its culture though revolves around the Islamic religion and the traditional Arab culture, which in turn has affected the architecture, music, attire, cuisine and lifestyle of Dubai. Muslims here pray five times every day in the mosques which are scattered around the city. Dubai celebrates its weekends on the Fridays and Saturdays as Fridays are holy to the Muslims. This doesn’t mean that Dubai has a closed culture. They are the warmest people you have ever come across. The prized virtues of the country are courtesy and hospitality. The people here are extremely courteous brimming with etiquettes. If you manage to win their heart, you will be invited to their house. You will be asked to remove your foot wear before entering the house. They have a tradition of sitting on the floor while eating. Dubai houses consist of two houses, one for females and one for males. In Dubai you cannot greet a woman by shaking hands. This is prohibited. Their way of greeting is by placing their hand on their heart and it is very important to say Assalam u Alaikum while greeting. As far as clothing is concerned Dubai is very particular. Men cannot go topless and women cannot wear revealing tops and short skirts. Men wear full-length white shirt called khandura. A white or red checked headband completes the attire. Women wear a long black dressing gown known as “abaya” which covers their normal clothing. A scarf on head completes the attire. Muslims celebrate Ramadan for a month, when they do not anything during day time. This is celebrated very strictly and respectfully and the non-Muslims are also expected to not eat in public during this time. It is considered offensive. The official language here is Arabic but English is also spoken to carry n business and to converse with the tourists.
Places to Visit
Burj Khalifa :
This is Dubai’s landmark. It is the tallest building in the world soaring with the height of 829.8 meters. You must not miss to whizz up to the observation deck on the 124th floor, on the high speed elevator. You will be mind blown by the 360-degree view of the skyscrapers and the desert to the left and the ocean on the left. Night time visits are popular with spectacular lights sparkling everywhere.
Dubai Mall :
This famous mall also serves as the entrance to the Burj Khalifa as well as the Dubai Aquarium. The mall has an ice-skating rink, gaming zone and cinema complex for you to get indulged in. You will just have a blast with shopping and eating interesting tastes of different delicacies and the mall is always showing live music and fashion shows.
Dubai Museum :
The Al-Fahidi Fort built in 1787 houses this exceptional museum. The walls of the Fort are built of the traditional coral-blocks which are held together with lime. History says that the Fort had once served as a residence for the ruling family, a seat of government, garrison, and prison and today it stands as a museum.
Bastakia :
The place used to be the home of wealthy Persian merchants who engaged in pearls and textiles trade, in the 19th century. The tax-free trading and access to Dubai Creek is believed to have lured them to Dubai. The coral and limestone buildings with walls topped with wind-towers, which act as an air conditioner, have been carefully preserved.
Sheikh Saeed Al-Maktoum House :
This is the residence of Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum which was built in 1896 by Sheikh Saeed's father. It has been rebuilt and restored as a museum, which boasts off the Arabic architectural skills. It exhibits Historical Photographs and Documents, with many valuable old photographs of Dubai probably between the period of 1948 and 1953.
